The BFG (2016)

[CJohn]

Discuss it

[Jake Gittes]

Did not expect it, but this cast a spell on me right from the start - as confidently directed as a Spielberg movie possibly could be, unassumingly gorgeous and with immediately engaging, soulful performances by Rylance and Ruby Barnhill. While it's a big-budget spectacle, what really gets me is just how patient and peaceful it is - there's zero restlessness to it, no rush to get anywhere, absolutely no need to impress, the effects are everywhere but they never threaten to overwhelm anything else. I've already seen people call it boring or say something to the effect that "there isn't much of a movie/story here", but I was practically thrilled that Spielberg and Mathison were content with basically making this a sweet hangout movie. The one problem resulting from this is that it's hard to feel any real stakes once the climax arrives - it ends up feeling like an afterthought to BFG and Sophie's relationship. But on the whole, I was completely charmed by it.

Edited June 30, 2016 by Jake Gittes

[cannastop]

Hey, can you enable a poll here?

[Webslinger]

While not top-shelf Spielberg, The BFG is nevertheless a charming technical marvel. Like The Adventures of Tintin, Spielberg's previous foray into family-friendly entertainment, it maintains a strong sense of playfulness and childlike wonder while telling a story compelling enough to keep older viewers as entertained as the younger ones. As was the case in his Oscar-winning performance in Bridge of Spies, Mark Rylance is handily the onscreen MVP. Rylance commits himself fully to the role, which allows the relationship between the title character and the human protagonist Sophie (in a polished performance from newcomer Ruby Barnhill) to feel genuine despite the technological barrier between the two of them. The relationship between these two central characters is poignant, and it allows the film to retain a solid level of emotional resonance throughout its admittedly protracted two-hour running time; even when the film's focus drifts in its final half-hour or thereabouts, the relationship between Sophie and the BFG is still strong enough that it feels as though the stakes remain high. As one could expect from a film with Spielberg behind the camera, the film also looks and sounds great from start to finish. The filmmakers make especially strong use of CGI to illustrate visual perspective in the scenes set in the giants' world, which makes it easier for viewers to simultaneously absorb the wonder of this land and understand how Sophie experiences it. Even though it's not as masterful as his other work - and certainly doesn't reach the massive heights of his top family-friendly masterpiece, E.T. - Spielberg delivers a winner with The BFG. It's a shame that relatively few viewers will experience this film on the big screen, where its splendor will play best.

 

B+

[DAJK]

Was kinda disappointing for me, which is really hard to type. Maybe it had to do with expectations, but with Spielberg, I'm not quite expecting 10s across the board, but maybe like a solid A-. 

Nothing from the first half was particularly memorable for me. Thinking back most of the shots that stick in my mind were in the trailers. Didn't think the friendship between Sophie and the BFG worked for that first half (although Mark Rylance holy was he good). Wasn't until Sophie decides to conjure up a dream for the Queen when the movie started to become not just good, but great. The last act-and-a-half provided a significant improvement over the first part of the movie, and if the entire film had been that strong, the BFG would have been one of the movies to beat this summer.

Alas, it was enjoyable, but in a way a bit of a missed opportunity.

B-

[SteveJaros]

Saw this yesterday. Well, partially saw it - the wife and I walked out after about an hour and ten minutes. Nothing offensive about the BFG, we were just bored past the point of endurance and had better things to do. The kid was cute enough, the SFX giants were well-done, but from our POV the story was slower than molasses in January, and seemed to be going nowhere. 

 

We left at the point where the Queen enters the picture. I assume that in the end, the bullying evil giants get their comeuppance and everyone lives happily ever after. Didn't need to sit through the last 40 or so minutes to find that out, not with the way the storytelling was going.

 

3/10 stars 

[Blankments]

The BFG wears its children book's origins proudly. Spielberg has crafted a delightful film oozing with charm and the type of magic only felt when reading books like Roald Dahl's. Adding to the feel of a storybook is the inherent CGI fakeness of the BFG, who fluctuates from feeling real to looking like a PS4 game character. The other giants fare worse and honestly, if the effects were better, the film as a whole would've probably got a much better reception. Spielberg elevates the material from one of Dahl's lesser novels and makes it an absolute treat packed with lovely setpieces and moments of pure awe. John Williams' pulsing score also amplifies the atmosphere and Rylance's performance really is a wonder. The BFG might suffer from a clear artificiality and thus is a lesser Spielberg, but it's still better than most of the family adventures out there, clearly displaying the director's absolute mastery of the genre. B